Slide-trombone.



G. E. RIBLET.

SLIDE. TROMBONE.

APPLICATION FILED APR.26, 1911.

Patented Apr. 2, 1912.

COLUMBIA PLmoaRAPH 120-, WASHINGTON, u.c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE E. RIIBLET, OF ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA.

SLIDE-TROMBONE.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE E. RIBLET, a citizen of the United States, residing at Erie, in the county of Erie and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Slide-Trombones; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, forming part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in slide trombones and consists in the construction and combination of parts substantially as shown and described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The features of my invention are hereinafter shown and described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a view in elevation of a slide trombone embodying my invention with portions thereof broken away. Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of a portion thereof embodying my invention. Fig. 3 is a like view of the lower end of one of the telescoping tubes thereof.

In these drawings, A, indicates the inside parallel tubes of the telescopic slide; B, indicates the outside U-shaped tube thereof; and C, indicates the bell portion of the instrument which is inserted into one of the tubes, A; and C, the mouth-piece inserted into the other of the tubes, A. The broken line, m-w, in Figs. 1 and 2 indicates the location of the upper ends of the U-shaped tube, B, as ordinarily constructed, when the same is in what trombonists call the first position and the broken line, g g in Fig. 8, indicates the position of the upper ends of said U-shaped tube, B, when the same is in what is known as the seventh position, in trombones as ordinarily constructed. The tubes, A, are of somewhat less outside diameter than the inside diameter of the outside U-shaped tube, B, of the slide, and on the lower ends of the tubes, A, are bushings, a, commonly called stockings which form air tight bearings with the inside surfaces of the U-shaped tube, B. These stockings, a, are usually about three inches in length and it is therefore obvious when U shaped tubes, B, are extended to the seventh position thereof as indicated by the broken Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 26, 1911.

Patented Apr. 2, 1912.

Serial No. 623,418.

line, g g in Fig. 3, that, mechanically, such construction is faulty in operation, and is liable to cramp and stick on the stocklngs, a.

One of the objects of my invention is, therefore, to obviate this liability to cramp and stick, which I have endeavored to do without at the same time increasing or diminishing the inside length of the instrument.

Again in trombones as ordinarily constructed the key-note pitch thereof is regulated by means of a tuning-slide which is usually located at the point, 0, of the bellportion, C, of the instrument, which is constructed of telescopic tubes which makes it necessary to form that part of the bellportion of the instrument of somewhat thicker metal, to the detriment of the quality of tone, and which also causes greater exertion on the part of the performer in playing the instrument.

Another object of my invention therefore, is to improve the tone of the instrument and render it more easy to play by removing the tuning-slide from the bellportion, C, and placing it at a point in the instrument where it will not affect the tone or render the instrument more difficult to perform upon.

In carrying out the objects of my invention I place upon the upper ends of the tubes, A, preferably thimbles, D, D. and make the same integral therewith by means of brazing or soldering, and then I place between the thimbles, D, D, a hand-grip consisting of a tubular brace D, and preferably oval in cross-section, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 in order to give said handgrip greater strength. In the ordinary construction of trombones, a shallow thimble or stop is placed upon the tubes, A, at approximately the point indicated by the broken line, aa2 in Figs. 1 and 2, and the hand-grip or brace, D, is brazed directly to the tubes, A. It will be seen, therefore, that by my improved construction of the thimbles, D, D, and hand-grip, D, I have cleared the outside surface of the tubes, A, usually occupied by said thimbles and hand-grip, so that the same may be utilized for the purposes of my invention. I then construct the U-shaped tube, B, of the slide so that the arms of the same extend somewhat above the line, oc-w which marks the upper ends of said U-shaped tube as ordinarily constructed, and I place thereon closely fitting telescopic tubes, E, E, adapted to extend upward into the thimbles, D, I), when the slide is in the first position as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and within the upper ends of these tubes, E, E, I braze bushings, e, of suiiicient inside diameter to pass over the stockings, a, on the lower ends of the tubes, A. Between the telescopic tubes, E, E, I place a cross-brace, E and braze or solder the ends thereof to said tubes, so that said tubes, E, E, and brace, E, form one integral structure, adapted to be moved longitudinally on the upper ends of the U- shaped tube, B, by means of which the keynote pitch of the trombone may be varied. In order to secure the tubes, E, E, at such point as may be desired by the pitch of the instrument, I braze or solder a cross-piece, F, between the arms of the U-shaped tube, B, and extending from the brace, E, through an opening in the brace, I, is a rod, G, provided with screw-threads, g, and having thereon a nut G, on each side of the cross-brace, F. I also may split the lower ends of the tubes, E, E, as shown at 6, in Fig. 1, and place thereon screw-nuts, c 6 by means whereof said tubes, E, E, may be given a binding fit on the ends of the U-shaped tube, B, when desired.

In playing a trombone the instrument is supported by the hand-grip, D, in the left hand of the performer who, with his right hand grasps the cross-brace, E, between the tubes, E, E, and as in trombones of ordinary construction the hand grips for the right and left hands of the performer are always located in substantially the same position near the upper ends of the U-shaped tube B. It will be seen by reference to the drawings that, while I have by means of my improved construction, lengthened the arms of the U-shaped tube, B, so that the same may extend nearly to the upper ends of the tubes, A, I have not lessened the distance between the outer extremity of the mouthpiece C. and the cross-braces, E and D, thereby not having changed the first and seventh positions of the brace, E, with reference to the outer extremity of the mouthpiece, C, as the same are now in trombones of ordinary construction. It will further be seen that when the U-shaped tube, B, and brace, E, are in the seventh positoin, as indicated by broken lines, in Fig. 3, the upper end of the tubes, E, E, on the U-shaped tube, B, will be'approximately two inches above the upper ends of the tube, B, as indicated by the broken line 1 g which gives a bearing between the U-shaped tube B, and the parallel tubes, A, of approximately five inches,

instead of three inches as in trombones of ordinary construction.

From the foregoing description it is obvious therefore that I have herein shown and described mechanism whereby I accomplish the objects of my invention. It is obvious, however that many modifications of my invention can be made vby those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Therefore what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters-Patient is:

l. A slide trombone comprising a telescopic-tube mounted upon the upper end of each arm of the return-bend sliding-tube thereof, a transverse brace extending between and rigidly uniting said telescopictubes, and means to secure said telescopic tubes in adjusted position with relation to said return-bend sliding tube substantially as set forth.

2. A. slide trombone comprising a telescopic-tube mounted upon the upper end of each arm of the return-bend sliding-tube thereof, a cross brace extending between and rigidly uniting said telescopic-tubes and screw mechanism adapted to secure said telescopic-tubes in adjusted position with relation to said return-bend sliding tube, substantially as set forth.

8. The combination in a slide trombone of a U-shaped tube, a telescopic extension upon the upper end of each arm thereof, a bushing ring in the upper end of each of said extensions, a cross brace extending between and uniting said extensions, and means adapted to secure said extensions against longitudinal movement with relation to said U-shaped tube, substantially as set forth.

4-. In a slide trombone the combination of a return-bend sliding tube, a telescopic tube mounted upon the upper end of each arm thereof, a cross-brace extending between and uniting said telescopic tubes, means to secure said telescopic tubes against longitudinal movement with relation to said tube, parallel tubes inserted in the arms of said tube through the telescopic-tubes mounted thereon, a sleeve on the upper end of each of said parallel tubes having enlarged portions adapted to embrace the telescopictubes on the tube, and a hand-grip brace extending between and uniting said sleeves, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE E. RIBLET.

Witnesses:

W. 1%. Huerms, C. MILBNER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents Washington, D. C. 

